The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-08-25
at the Camp Ground.
For the VlRGINIAN.

For the V1RGINIAN.
Placing ourselves under the care Of
Capts. Jacob Roderick, as conductor. and
Rob't Earl as engineer, we, with our Detss
ter half, left Stanton at o'clock on last
Sunday morning, to visit the camp ground
OF the U. b. Church, near Mt Jackson. Va
There were but few passengers in the
cars when we started from our depot, but
at every station onward, the number in
creased, until four additional coaches were
required to accommodate the crowds all
along the line seeking to go, and then the
last TWO stations were passed without a
halt. These latter, however, were soon
reached and taken in by quick run I'D
from Mt. jackson.
A ride down this great Valley from
Stanton, discloses not only the Egypt of
this magnificent limestone bed, but really
no prettier nor richer part OF the State
anywhere meets the eye Of the passing
traveller. No wonder that tourists long to
see it, and when once there, linger, l0ath
to part with its many untold beauties, and
returning home, are so lavish in their
praises OF it. lnSenSible indeed must be
the soul who can pass through the garden
spot of our State, and not realize to some
extent at least, what benefit nature in her
kindest mood, has done for the favored
occupants OF this highly favored place.
Meeting the train from Winchester las
densely packed as ours) at Mt. Jackson
together with the sideways along the length
OF the two trains, jammed with specta
tors, the wonder arose if anybody was at
the camp ground, distant about one mile.
The wonder was, however, soon dispelled.
On foot and through the fields and
woods, over fences, briars. bushes, in order
to avoid as much as possible the most APP
palling cloud OF dust that ever hung over
and about any road, your correspondent
| reached in safety the enclosure that con-
tanned the cabins, the stand, the seats, the
| booths, the stables. and the everything
else pertaining to, and forming part OF
the encampment.
| The grove OF large forest trees, some Of
| them apparently OF a century s growth, Of
fered ample shade. The stand at the lower
end OF gentle inclination placed the
| speaker in full view of his audience. The
! selected choir with the organ were in the
stand, whose only exterior ornaments were
| two colossal bouquets, placed on either
side and Immediately behind The speaker
The music was fine. and rang jOyously
forth throughout the forts5 scene, drown
ing for time the neighing of hundred
horses hard by, and the rumbling of as
many vehicles I'm oading their constant
arrivals of human freight. The morning
exercises over, the speaker for the regular
sermon, Rev. DR.. ID. W. Landes, of the
Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, was
announced, who after singing and prayer,
stepped forward and gave out his text,
which was Ephesians / chapt. and II to
% verse. His subject, of course, was the
exaltation of Jesus Christ. A glance at
his physlOgnOmy at once assured every
one that treat was in store for those who
could hear him. His fine classical face
reminds us very much OF Senator Daniels
OF Lynchburg. His form is, however,
more slender, and in stature he IS a little
taller than the individual just mentioned.
Anything but a fair reproduction Of the
sermon as delivered to us by the speaker
would be injustice alike to the Rev. Dr.,
and to him who would attempt it, 1t was
simple as profound, and between the bril-
liancy of the language chosen, the far
reaching thought advanced. and the burn
ing zeal that flashed from within, the one
and-a half hours discourse passed away
and there was no sign that any one was
tired even of the hard seat and unreclining
position to which we were all subjected.
1t more than repaid US for every discom.
fort we were under during the day. There
were other distinguished scholars and
ministers present, but we did not have the
good fortune to hear them. The crowd
was fully as large as it ever was. An Off
Ger of the Assembly Informed US that in
his opinion there were not less than five
thousand.persons present on that day. The
objects and aims of the Brethren seem to
have been fully realized, and there can be
no doubt that the world and the church
especially are better off by reason of the
meeting and the labors of the Shenandoah
Valley Assembly at Mt. Jackson.
At p. NJ, the hour for the tram to
leave homeward, the crowd at the depot
was even much larger than it was in the
morning. It seemed as if almost every foot
of available space was crowded with hui
man beings. At length putting on steam
in front of ten closely packed coaches with
probably not less than one thousand per-
sons, sitting and standing, we set out for
StauntOn. Thanks for the caution and
prudence of those who had charge of the
unusually long train, as we'll as to the ad-
mirable equipage Of the cars and the firm
ness of the track. we rolled slowly up to
Quicksburg, the first station above, where
our number began to decrease. So at
New Market station. Reaching Timber
vile, quite number began to bid us good
bye, Here two of the rear coaches were
disengaged and left behind.
At the thriving little village of Broad
way again, many seats were vacated. but
still we moved slowly up the grade to
Cowans, then to Linville. losing heads all
the time, and came to Harrisonburg all
0. K. Here four more cars were unlocked
and we missed large number of those
who started with us from Mt. Jackson.
We now had but the usual complement
of load and coaches, and we sped away at
an almost fearful rate. In rapid success
sion the remaining stations on our ronte
were reached and cleared. and at half past
seven we set our foot upon the platform of
the Valley Depot in Staunton, all safe and
sound.
One thing is worthy of note. The re-
mark was heard often during the day,
How polite the captain, how obliging the
attendants" Take it altogether, it was,
to every one, a day and ride of pleasure.
Notwithstanding the discomforts incident
to all such occasions. And after all, Mr..
E., is not seeing the greatest number
happy, in however short the respite from
the tolls. the ills and the cares of life, the
greatest happiness to ourselves?